


and maybe some things are that simple

by dustkeeper



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Prompto butts into other people's business, and fears for his life because of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 07:16:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14015058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dustkeeper/pseuds/dustkeeper
Summary: He swiveled his head back to Gladio, thinking surely he wasn't the only one freaking out about this, but the Shield didn't even look up from his book."No, they're not dating. Yes, they might as well be. No, no one's gonna talk about it." He turned a page.Or how Prompto realized that Noctis and Ignis were totally in love and made for each other.





	and maybe some things are that simple

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinytobio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinytobio/gifts).



> Hello, tinytobio! Here's the other oneshot that your prompt list inspired me to write! Specifically the mutual pining, the soft and tender moments, and another person noticing just how in love Ignis is with Noctis. I hope you don't mind that I wrote from Prompto's POV, because I feel like he'd be the one to notice and actually do something about it. (Gladio has noticed and knows Ignis well enough to know that herding cats is easier than getting Ignis to Talk About His Feelings). I had a lot of fun with this, and I hope you do too! Thanks for being such an awesome giftee, and enjoy the rest of the week!

                It was no secret that Prompto was a romantic. He unashamedly watched chick flicks (and cried!), he borrowed Gladio's trashy novels to read when his phone battery was low, and   ̶ most importantly   ̶ he made sure to lavish their Grease Monkey Goddess with praises for both her brain and beauty whenever he could. And Aranea. And all three of his traveling companions. And, okay, a _little_ bit of talk about Cor's butt before Noct got weirded out: he was like the prince's uncle or something. The point is: even Prompto had limits to the amount of romantic cheese he could digest at a time, and… well. Two of their party were turning into a triple cheese pizza.

                The strangest part of all of it was that Prompto was pretty sure they weren't even dating. They hadn't always been like this, too. Something in the recent weeks of running from the Empire had Ignis and Noctis all over each other like a newly-wed couple.

                They weren't kissing or calling each other pet names or anything. Most of what they did could be construed as actions between two very close friends. Like, _veeeery_ close. Thighs always touching when they sat on a couch, lingering smiles and pink cheeks. Wiping dirt off each other's face, and not in the " _Mooooom_ , you're embarrassing me!" kind of way, but the "I'm using this as an excuse to gaze deeply into your eyes while my fingers caress your beautiful face" kind of way.

                At first, he was pretty sure he was just imagining things. Prompto hadn't spent more than a few hours around the both of them at a time before, and they _had_ practically grown up together. Their friendship worked in a different way than his and Noct's did. Then he saw the blush flare up on the advisor's cheeks when Noctis leaned over the driver seat to mumble in his ear, the last bars of that Faye Wong song from _Love Grows in Balamb Garden_ blaring from the car radio. Over the wind and music, Prompto couldn't hear what was being said; maybe he was flirting? A romantic promise of what was going to come next time they stayed at a hotel room? Come to think of it, Ignis always claimed the other side of Noct's bed before the others even put their bags down. Were they already sleeping together and Noct hadn't told him?

                Nah. Noctis wasn't exactly Mr. Talk About Your Feelings, but he wouldn't keep something this big from Prompto. Sure, he tended to brush off any teasing remarks about Lunafreya or other potential crushes, but he'd tell him if he actually started seeing someone, right? That's something best friends told each other. Especially when you were going to be sharing a tent with them: it wasn't like he could have hidden that from him if he tried.

                Then there were two explanations: one, they weren't seeing each other, but the pining angst mixed with all the other crap that had happened to the prince recently made it hard for him to talk to Prompto about. Two, they liked each other but hadn't realized it themselves yet.

                It wasn't any of his business, he knew that, but the longer he speculated, the harder it was to keep quiet about it.

-

                "Man, it's _freezing_ in here." 

                They had managed to snag a hotel room in Old Lestallum that had a small kitchen area, and Ignis had almost immediately started taking out ingredients from their supply, saying something about a warm stew. The rain had brought in a strange cold front that made them almost miss the boiling heat of nearby Lestallum. Prompto found it bizarre that two completely different temperatures could be so close together. Maybe Shiva was dining out in the Crow's Nest or something.

                "Then put on a jacket," Gladio offered in the same low grumble he often told Noctis to take _off_ his jacket with.

                "I have a jacket," Noctis said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his short-sleeved black coat. He leaned against the counter a couple feet away from his advisor. "Can't we turn on the heater in here or something?"

                "I tried," Ignis said, pouring ingredients into a bowl by the stove. "I believe the thermostat is broken."

                "The weather is broken," Noctis said, burying his face in Ignis' back. Prompto could see Ignis' hands pause just a moment, but he continued as though nothing was amiss.

                "You _could_ always go fetch a blanket."

                Noctis slipped his arms around Ignis' waist. "Just… stay here. You're warm enough."

                Prompto thought Ignis probably was, given just how much his skin seemed to burn at Noct's close contact. His own eyebrows skyrocketed at the sight before him: Noctis didn't mind a nice slap on the butt or two from a friend, but it was rare for him to initiate such close contact. He couldn't remember ever being so casually hugged by the prince before. There was definitely _something_ happening here. Ignis himself looked like he was going to internally combust any second, though he kept cooking like everything was normal.

                He swiveled his head back to Gladio, thinking surely he wasn't the only one freaking out about this, but the Shield didn't even look up from his book.

                "No, they're not dating. Yes, they might as well be. No, no one's gonna talk about it." He turned a page.

 

-

 

                Someone had to talk about it.

                Maybe Gladio had gotten used to the behemoth in the room (probably because he was usually the behemoth; boy were those muscles making his intentionally-platonic butt smacks feel weird), but it was starting to drive Prompto crazy. There was so much unresolved sexual tension in the air that Prompto was starting to feel like a third wheel in a four-man retinue.

                Noctis was his best friend   ̶  heck, he was his first friend. And even though Ignis occasionally scared the shit out of Prompto, he liked to think Ignis was his friend, too. He cared about both their happiness. For a while, he thought Luna was going to be Noct's happiness. I mean, he didn't _choose_ to marry her, but there were worse people to get married to than a childhood friend you exchanged a super-secret love letter journal by dog with.

                The more he thought about it, the more Noctis and Ignis seemed like they'd be a good pair. It made sense: they were loyal and supportive friends first and foremost, but with a chemistry that went beyond that. He wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Heck, he wondered why the two involved weren't seeing it, either. He was pretty sure at least one of them hadn't realized their feelings were shared, because why wouldn't they talk about it otherwise? The treaty stipulations were now useless, anyway: they were on the run from the Empire who promised peace in the first place. No one knew Noct was alive, so they wouldn't care about his dating a guy. Not to mention they could all die at any minute, so why not make a move now? The only possible downside was the other one not liking them back, but judging how Ignis had taken Noct's hand to stop him from walking in front of a car and then proceeded to hold it for the next ten minutes for no detectable reason _and Noctis happily let him_ , there was no way the both of them weren't head over heels in love with each other.

                "You didn't really want to marry Luna, did you?" Prompto asked the prince the next morning. Gladio and Ignis were braving the cold to pick up supplies, so he and Noct were playing a round of King's Knight on one of the beds.

                Noctis didn't say anything. If Prompto hadn't been able to recognize that telltale scrunch of his nose after years of friendship, the blond would have assumed he hadn't heard him.

                "No one would blame you if you didn't. Especially if you like someone else."

                Noct shrugged, his downcast head hidden by his long bangs. "I'm… never going to marry for love. Not like Dad did."

                "You don't know that," Prompto protested.

                "They're going to make me marry some woman who could give me a suitable heir, and… it's not going to be who I choose."

                Noct said it so nonchalantly, like it was just an unchangeable law of the universe like gravity or rain or something. Prompto wondered if he ever imagined another possibility before.

                "Who's gonna make you? Cor? Gladio? Not to sound morbid, but we're kinda running low on Lucian nobility,  buddy."

                Awkward pause. Okay, _that_ was the wrong thing to say.

                "I mean… I didn't… _Wow_ , that was insensitive. Rewind." Prompto made what he thought was an accurate rewinding noise with his mouth, making Noct snort a little under his breath. "What I _meant_ was, circumstances being as they are, there isn't much of a council to… Yeah, I don't know how to say this in a way that isn't depressing, man. Point is: no one can tell you what to do right now. Except maybe Cor, but all he cares about is finding swords in creepy, abandoned tombs. No arranged marriages from that guy."

                Noctis shook his head. "Not now, at least. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm cool with it."

                Prompto didn't think that last part was true, but he didn't think it would be a good time to push the subject. Instead, he nudged his friend's shoulder with his own. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I know I yap your ear off, but I can listen, too."

                The prince smiled wryly at him. " _Can_ you?"

                Prompto shoved Noctis off the bed.

 

-

 

                A few days after their night in the igloo known as Old Lestallum's motel, they were driving down to Galdin Quay to deliver some gemstones to Dino. Finding the goods wasn't that bad, but the area had been swimming with sabertusks, and dropship after dropship of MT troopers kept showing up on the hike back to the Regalia. Noctis had conked out the minute he sat down, and even Gladio couldn't get two pages into his book without dozing off. Ignis was on his second Ebony fifteen minutes into their hour-long drive to the coast. Prompto himself was still hyped up on post-battle adrenaline and couldn't sleep a wink, so he decided to strike up conversation with the driver to help pass the time.

                "Aaaand out like a light. I'm surprised Noct made it to the car."

                Ignis chuckled. "He can certainly sleep anywhere."

                Prompto noticed him glancing at the sleeping prince in the rearview mirror, the softest of smiles on his lips. His glasses seemed to magnify the fondness in his eyes. If Prompto had any doubt of the advisor's affections left, it flew out the window.

                With their comrades fast asleep and Ignis unlikely to risk the prince's safety to jump out the car while driving it, Prompto figured this was as good a time as any to broach the subject.

                "So, Ignis. You, uh, seeing anybody at the moment?"

                Ignis took his eyes off the road for a very un-Ignis-like amount of time to stare incredulously at him. Prompto immediately backtracked.

                "I mean, not that I'm interested! You know me, loyal to our one and only Queen of the Gears. I was just, you know, making small talk."

                Okay, Prompto was a _little_ offended by how relieved Ignis looked. "Ah. I see…"

                "So… any lucky guy? Any handsome, dark-haired… prince charming?"

                Ignis blanched. Bingo.

                "And what makes you think it's a guy?" he asked, doing a spectacularly good job of acting like Prompto's question hadn't fazed him. (Heh, or should he say, _specs-_ tacular. Five points to Prompto!)

                "Dude, we've been sharing a tent for the past month or so. There are some things you can't hide from each other." Prompto fiddled with his wristband. "You know, like   ̶  like Gladio's King's Knight doujinshi!"

                Ignis made a face that looked like he wished Gladio _had_ been able to hide that from him.

                "Soooo," Prompto tried to switch the tone back to casual, "if, say, you _did_ have a crush on a guy, and he happened to be male, and someone I knew, and maybe someone within our party who has dark hair and blue eyes and a penchant for napping, there'd be no judgment from me and I'd love and respect you either  ̶"

                "Prompto," Ignis cut in, an edge to his usually calm voice that _totally_ didn't frighten the photographer a little, "I'm afraid the matter of my love life is none of your concern."

                It was when the sexual tension was driving him insane. "I know, but if you'd just  ̶"

                "I applaud your deduction skills, and I'd like to believe that you are not the sort of person who butts into people's personal affairs. I'm choosing to have faith that you would not gossip about someone else's secrets with other people and so I am also choosing to believe you have not divulged any of what you're saying to Noctis."

                "I wouldn't, but he  ̶"

                "Frankly, even discussing this is unprofessional, and I must politely ask you to change the subject."

                "He totally feels the same way!" he blurted out a little louder than he should have. He glanced back at their companions, but they both were still asleep.

                Ignis fell silent. His hands clenched the steering wheel tighter.

                "And did _he_ tell you that?"

                "He didn't have to," Prompto said firmly. Maybe it wasn't his business, but he wasn't going to stop until at least one of them figured this whole unrequited love thing out. For the good of the team, Lucis, and his own mental health. "Just look at how he acts around you! He's always hugging you, and touching you, and…"

                Ignis' shoulders sagged in a deep sigh. "We're childhood friends. We've grown accustomed to each other's presence."

                "He's childhood friends with Gladio, too, and I've only seen him give him a fist bump _once_."

                "That doesn't mean anything," Ignis countered. "That's not even true, I'm sure."

                Prompto turned in his seat so the driver would see his full frown when he looked over. "Have you _seen_ the way he looks at you? It's the same way you look at him, like he's everything to you!"

                Ignis kept his eyes steady on the road. He shook his head. "Even if he did feel that way, it's not that simple."

                "Why not? The treaty literally blew up. I don't even think it was signed. There's no wedding in Altissia anymore, right?"

                "Prompto, _please_."

                "What else is keeping you from telling each other how you feel? It's not like   ̶ mmmmfffhhh!"

                Ignis' gloved hand muffled his next words as he literally shoved Prompto away. It was effective in making him sputter long enough for Ignis to finally get a thought in.

                "It would be best," he said tetchily, "if you would stay out of affairs you know _nothing_ about."

                There was the "I'm suffering from an Ebony withdrawal and I'll be a little more irritable today" angry Ignis and then the "Noctis had to use a phoenix down so I will make this MT's death long and painful" angry Ignis, and Prompto was startled to realize he was under the wrath of the second angry Ignis.

                Okay, Prompto _did_ have a habit of rambling on more than he should, but even he realized that he should shut up and let Ignis cool down for a few minutes. He waited until he heard a heavy sigh to speak again.

                "Listen, I know I'm not royalty or noble or anything," Prompto said, apologetic. "I'm just a plebe  ̶"

                "That isn't what this is about," the Crownsguard said quietly.

                "But Noct is my best friend! I want what makes him happy, and it isn't Luna. It's you."

                Ignis didn't respond, but he looked a little less likely to kill Prompto in his sleep. Good, because he needed to hear that at least once. Even if he _did_ murder him.

                "Just… think about it. I'm not trying to torture you into making some big romantic gesture or anything."

                "You certainly fooled me." But Ignis smiled just a little, showing he meant no ill will.

                "But I really think this is going to work out better than you think it will. Some things… Some things don't have to be so complicated."

                There was a wistful smile on the advisor's lips. "That would be nice."

                The silence that followed was a little more companionable, and then…

                "What's wrong with my King's Knight doujinshi?"

 

-

               

                Prompto didn't mean to be a stalker. Really. Even though he spent a good chunk of his elementary school days hiding behind a pole and watching Noctis stand alone, he never intended to make it a habit all the way into adulthood. But here he was, literally hiding behind a palm tree, spying on Noctis fishing on the dock with his advisor-slash-almost-boyfriend watching him in the non-stalkery way. His life had come to this.

                In his defense, he was walking over to chill with his bros after Gladio took more than five literal minutes to decide on which of three Cup Noodle flavors to buy. At first Prompto thought he was just flirting with the cashier, but when he spent more time staring at the packages than the beautiful woman behind the counter, _that's_ when he realized this was going to take a while. Even watching someone else fish was more exciting than that.

                "… you sure that is the appropriate lure for this region? I read that the Cactaur should be used to catch catfish at the Malacchi Pond," Ignis was telling the prince. "Since it's daytime at the coast, I'd recommend a Poppeck Chocobo if you hope to catch some of Galdin's unique array of trevally."

                "This isn't advanced magiteknology, you nerd," Noct said fondly over his shoulder. "Not everything has to be that complicated."

                Ignis looked startled.

                The line snagged, and Noct immediately set to work in wrangling his catch over to shore.

                "Ooh, this one's heavy!" Noctis wrestled with the rod, tipping forward over the edge of the dock.

                Ignis scrambled to grab hold of him. "Noct! Careful!"

                "I know! Almost got it…"

                Noct reeled in one of the biggest Giant Trevally's they've ever seen (which, if even Prompto could tell what type of fish it was, meant they spent _waaaay_ too much time fishing on this road trip). The weight of the fish sent him falling back into Ignis' arms, a smelly but admittedly romantic embrace. Yeah, neither of them looked ready to leave that position. Prompto was waiting for Ignis to be the one to end it, as Noctis had been the one making the moves on the other man whether he'd admit it or not, but he was pleasantly surprised as the seconds ticked by with Noct being embraced from behind.

                "Wow," Noctis breathed. "This is definitely big enough to tide us over for dinner."

                "Certainly," Ignis said, astonished, but something told Prompto he wasn't thinking of the fish.

                "Specs?" Noctis leaned his head back to look up at him. "You okay?"

                "Why wouldn't I be?"

                "You didn't react to my pun."

                That _was_ a sign of sickness when it came to Iggy. Damn, and Prompto could tell how red his face was all the way over from where he was spying on them. If he didn't know about the mutual pining, he'd be convinced the man had come down with a fever.

                "I… no, I didn't."

                "That’s kinda fishy." Then, when not even that one earned a response, Noctis turned around to study his friend's features more closely. "Specs…?"

                "Apologies, I just remembered something I need to do."

                "What?"

                Ignis leaned down to press his lips gently over Noct's own, and Prompto had to literally shove his fist into his mouth to muffle his scream. That smooth son of a gun! He actually did it!

                The rod fell from Noct's fingers, the still-flapping fish loudly thudding onto the dock, and Noct cupped his hands over the other man's cheeks, holding firmly as if he were scared he'd pull away. Noct responded like it was an everyday kind of kiss, like it wasn't their first, but Prompto knew he was witnessing history. Screw the eventual recapturing of the Crystal and Crown City: _this_ was the moment scribes and bards would write about for ages to come! Prompto even took out his camera, knowing that after Noct murdered him for it, the shot would make a lovely addition to their scrapbook.

                The fish, in a feat that would have been impressive in any other scene, managed to flop over the edge of the dock back into the ocean, taking Noctis's fishing rod with it. The kissing couple didn't even notice the splash. They kept kissing until Ignis had to pull away for a gasp of oxygen.

                "… Right," Ignis said. His eyes were wide and dazed behind lopsided glasses. "Thank you."

                "No sweat."

                And Noctis balanced on the tip of his toes to give Iggy one last smooch, an image that could have even melted the heart of Ravus it was so cute. Prompto couldn't believe Gladio was missing this for a cup of ramen.

                "Noct," Ignis said, peering over his shoulder, "I think we might have lost the fish."

                "Huh?" Noct pulled away from Ignis' embrace just enough to glance back at the edge of the dock, no fish or fishing rod in sight. "Oh."

                Neither of them seemed that bothered by the situation.

                "I'm sorry. I let my em-oceans get the best of me."

                " _There_ you are." Noctis grinned up at the taller man. "That's okay. I think I've reeled in something much better."

                Prompto groaned. Somehow he knew the pun game was only going to get worse from here on out.

                Unfortunately, his friends were now staring Prompto down with a heat that made Ravatogh's lava look refreshing, so he assumed that groan had been louder than he'd intended. Aaaand the camera was still in his hands.

                Ultimately, he was the one who spent fifteen minutes wading through the water around the dock in search of the fishing rod, but if it was all in the name of love, Prompto didn't mind his perfectly-styled hair getting a little soggy.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Gladio came back with all three flavors of Cup Noodle.


End file.
